Larsson exits Devils' scrimmage with charley horse

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Devils received a bit of scare Wednesday morning during the third day of rookie camp when first-round pick Adam Larsson exited the final period of a scrimmage with an apparent charley horse in his left thigh.

Larsson, the No. 4 selection in the 2011 Entry Draft, said he first felt the muscle cramp after getting tangled up with another player in the neutral zone on his first shift of the game. He didn't think it was serious and feels it shouldn't keep him from taking the ice on Thursday here at AmeriHealth Pavilion at Prudential Center.

"I played for the whole second period and that wasn't that smart," Larsson said. "I didn't tell anyone about it. I guess it sounds like I'm a tough guy, but it doesn't work that way. I feel it's not so serious, so I'll probably be back (Thursday)."

Larsson thought it wise to sit out the third period.

"I don’t want to rush anything too early in the season so I think that was the smart decision," he said.

Devils rookie camp runs through Friday.

The ailment comes with just three days left until the Friday deadline for NHL clubs to sign players under contract in Europe -- Larsson has a year remaining with his Swedish Elite League club, Skelleftea. The Devils would need to sign Larsson by Friday in order to make him eligible to play in the NHL in 2011-12.

If Larsson is not signed by 5 p.m. Friday, he would not be eligible to play with the Devils unless the organization pays $100,000 to Skelleftea to extend the signing deadline to Aug. 15. If Larsson then isn't signed before 5 p.m. on Aug. 15, he'll have no choice but to return to Sweden to honor the final year of his contract.